Jellik



May 10; 1938. c. JELLIK, JR r 2,117,063

COMBINATION SAFETY OIL GAUGE AND LIGHT SWITCH Filed May 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 PUSH IN v AFTER STARTING MOTOR r 7 cm N 221/ var/$34 A 241 wn' Invenlor y 1938. c. JELLIK, JR 2,117,063

COMBINATION SAFETY OIL GAUGE AND LIGHT SWITCH Filed May 24, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor flllorney y 1938. c. JELLIK, JR 2,117,063

COMBINATION SAFETY OIL GAUGE AND LIGHT SWITCH Filed May 24, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet s BREHKER D151. UN I T ,1 Z B aTTERY Inventor Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION SAFETY on. GAUGE. AND

. LIGHT SWITCH My invention relates generally to instruments aiding in the efficient and safe operation and maintenance of internal combustion engines, particularly internal combustion engines of the stationary type which are kept running for long periods of time, and an important object of my invention is to provide fool-proof means for grounding out the ignition circuit of the engine upon a failure of the lubrication system of the engine, so as to stop the engine and thereby prevent damage to the engine from lack of oil.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide in an arrangement of the character indicated, especially adapted to installation on a motor vehicle, means for visibly indicating a condition of failure of the lubricating system, and

control means for the ignition system, grouped with and combined with means for controlling the, lighting system of the vehicle, whereby the utmost convenience and safety in the operation and control of these elements is procured.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the front of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the back of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational View of the front of the dielectric panel.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view of the bright-dim switch arm.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the back of the switch mechanism showing the positions of the parts while the key is in the off position.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the right hand side of Figure 5 disclosing the position of the parts of the switch mechanism while the key is in the off position.

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the oil gauge portion of the device.

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the back of the oil gauge mechanism showing the casing thereof removed.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the oil connection nipple.

Figure 10 is an elevational View of the front of the cam member.

Figure 11 is an elevational view of the back end of the switch mounting. V

Figure 12 is an elevational View of the side of a key for operating the switch mechanism.

Figure.13 is a wiring diagram of the mbodimerit .of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the embodiment of the invention which comprises a front plate or panel 6 which is arranged to be mounted by bolts or screws passing through the holes 1 to the instrumcnt panel or other support in the operating compartment of the vehicle or control board of the stationary internal combustion engine. The numeral 8 generally designates the front portion of the oil gauge mechanism which is mounted in a suitable opening in the panel 6 and includes the bezel 8 engaging the front part of the casing 9 and holding therein the glass [0. The face of the gauge is designated II, and the hand i3 is fixed on a pivot I2 which is journaled. in the face H. Secured by one end to the face i l and by'the opposite end to the hand 13 is the small coiled conductive spring 14. The point of grounding of the spring I4 with the face II is indicated by the numeral Hi. It is to be observed that the spring I4 has no operative function as far as the hand [3 or the shaft I2 is concerned, but is used to make a perfect electrical connection between the hand and the face and hence to ground, which would not exist if reliance for a good electrical connection between these parts was placed alone on the contact between the moving parts. The contact point I9 is fixed on the front end of one arm of a right-angle shaped member 20' mounted on the back of the face and having the said one arm passing forwardly through the face II. The remaining arm of the member 20' has connected thereto the wire 2|. The member 20' is insulated from and mounted to back of the face II by screws l8 which enter the front of face Ti and screw into insulated block IS.

The grounded hand l3 has a lateral arm. I! which has a contact point 3 arranged to engage the insulated contact point l9 mounted on the face II, when the hand I3 is in the extreme left hand position, indicating failure of the lubrication system. The engagement of the contacts l8 and I9 brings into the ignition circuit of the internal combustion engine a grounded resistance sufficient to incapacitate the ignition system and. thereby cause stopping and prevent further operation of the engine under certain conditions.

The cylindrical casing of the oil gauge mechanism is generally designated I5 and through a hole in the back thereof shown in Figure 2 the wire 21 is led from the insulated contact point I9 to the binding, post 22 of the resistance coil 25 which is mounted on the side of the switch mechanism casing as shown in Figure 2. The upper binding post 23 of the resistance coil is connected by the wire 24 to the binding post 25 on the switch panel 5|. The purpose of the coil 26 is to absorb electric current and thereby eliminate heating of the grounding out circuit contacts I8 and is during a period of oiling system failure. The switch mechanism casing is generally designated 50. 1 g

The face I I has integral therewith the J-shaped portion comprising the foot part 26 and the vertical part 21 which is substantially parallel to the face. Between the face and the vertical part 21 the rock shaft 28 is journaled and is supported in holes in the parts mentioned and has fixed thereto the depending toothed segment or sector 29 which is arranged to be in mesh with the pinion 39 fixed on the oil gauge hand shaft I 2.

Screws 3! passing through the back of the casing i5 enter the opposite wings or flanges of the oil connection nipple 32 which have the threaded holes 35, 36, so that the said wings are mounted to the inner side of the back of the 011 gauge mechanism casing as shown in Figure '7, and the nipple 32 is mounted through a suitable opening in the back of the casing l5 so as to project forwardly therein and engage the back of the face I! to which it is secured by suitable bolts or screws 31 as shown in Figure 7. The nipple 32 is connected to the oil pipe which is used as the electrical ground.

The oil pipe connecting nipple has the threaded portion 38 projecting from the back of the "casing for connection with the oil pipe (not shown) and has the bore 40 whose forward end terminates in a tapered converging portion 4| which leads into a small orifice 42 registered with a corresponding hole in the edge or side of the rectangular cross section oil pressure tube 43 which is positioned in the slot 44 in the outward end of the nipple, as shown in Figure 9. The oil pressure tube 33 is arranged as shown in Figure 8 and extends for approximately two-thirds of a complete convolution and has connected to its lower end 45 the spring wire portion 46 which has a vertical arm 41 having a lateral pivot entering a pivot hole 41 in the right hand end of the sector 29 as shown in Figure 8, whereby upon expansion and contraction of the tube 43 in response to the oil pressure in the lubrication system, the sector -29 will be rocked, and correspondingly rock the indicating hand l3.

The switch panel 5| of the switch mechanism 50 has a number of contacts arranged thereon for contact by the switch mechanism to be described and these, and their.connection with each other and with the ignition system of the internal combustion engine, are as follows:

The contact 52 corresponds 'to the binding post 25 with which the upper end of the resistance coil 20 is connected, and the contact '53 which is in a horizontal plane with the contact 52 is connected to the distributor casing side of the ignition coil of the engine as shown in Figure 13. It is obvious that when the switch points 52, 53 are bridged by the switch mechanism and the oil gauge contacts 13 and I9 are engaged, during the failure of the lubrication system of the engine, that the resistance coil 23 will be grounded and in circuit with the ignition 'coil and ground the same to such an extent that the engine will be stopped and will not start again under any'circum's'tances until the grounded resistance has been taken out of the ignition coil circuit. Along the right hand edge and vertically aligned on the switch panel 5| are in order, downwardly, the headlight dim contact 54, the bright contact 55 and the light tilting switch contacts 56 and 51. To the left of these contacts and in a central portion of the panel 5! and concentric to the boss 52 are the fuse contact points 59, 63 adapted to be engaged to bring the fuse 68 into the light circuits. The battery contact BI is connected by a connecting strip 62 to the fuse contact 63 above it. The light tilting contacts 56, 51 are similarly connected to the head lamp contacts 54 by the V-shaped strip 65 shown in Figure 2. The cowl or dim lamp contact 63 is similarly connected by a connector '67 to the lamp contact 68. The tail lamp contacts 69, 10 are similarly connected by a connecting strip H. The battery contact 6| and the ignition contact H are radially spaced from the axis of the switch rotor which corresponds to the position of the boss 52. It will be observed that the contacts 58, 59 and 69, H1 and 66, B4 are grouped around the boss 52 and are concentric therewith and that the contacts 6| and H are arranged radially inwardly of the described contacts and are also concentric to the boss 52. will be observed that the contacts 52 and 53 are to be bridged by a safety push button operated circuit closing and opening member to be described, so that the ignition circuit may be closed and normally maintained closed.

The safety push button 73 is mounted slidably in a borein the upper part of the panel 6 and has a slightly reduced portion 14 on which is circu-mposed the outwardly pressing helical spring 1-! which engages the shoulder defined by the" outer portion of the safety push button and the back end of the bore in which the button works. The shoulder defined by the inner end of this bore is generally designated 18. A reduced portion 79 of the inner end of this bore has extending therein the reduced rod portion 80 of the safety push button which extends through a horizontal notchin a plate 88 which is fixed to the back of the panel and surrounds the inner end 'of the reduced portion of the bore as shown in in front of the head 8| as soon as the head 8| has been moved rearwardly in pushing in the button 73, the spring 81 stretched between the point '88 on the plate and the point 83 of the -la tch'acting to swing the arm 85 of the latch in front'of the heads! as soon as the head has been moved rearwardly sufficiently. A rearwardly extending foot 83 on the remaining arm of the Y shaped latch is arranged for cooperation with the lobe "89 of the cam 33. The purpose of the cam 90 'is 'to push upwardly on the portion 86 of the Y-shaped latch at a certain phase in the operation of the switch mechanism so as to withdraw the portion '85 from in front of the head 8| and thereby permit the spring TI to push the button 7 3 outwardly or forwardly.

The dielectric disk I03 and the cam '90 are connected to rotate together and the cam has mounted to the forward face thereof the cylindrical =stub=shaft 1'00 which is rotatably mounted in the bore 99 of a thickened portion 9] of the panel 6,

and the front of the cam 90 has therein a plurality of depressionsor holes I04 with which engages selectively a spring pressed ball detent I04 operatively mounted in the back of the portion 9| as shown in Figure 6. A stop finger 9| on the lower part of the cam 00 is arranged to work in a semi-circular groove I05 formed in the back face of the portion 9| whereby rotation of the cam in both directions is limited. The forward end of the stub-shaft I00 has the normally vertical slot I02 withwhich the key 95 is arranged to cooperate,

Holes I06 at circumferentially spaced intervals in the cam 90 and in the dielectric disk E63 which is mounted on the back of the cam slidably receive rods I06 which have ,circurnposed thereon springs I 'll working between the dielectric disk E03 and the front face of the light i contact ring I 05. Heads I08 on the back end of the rods lElSretain the contact ring I05 in place and act as contacts to engage the related contacts on the plate 5|. also riveted against the front face of the corn tact ring Hi5 so that the contact ring is fixed on the rods I08 and will move the rods forwardly into the holes 136' on the disk 5&3 as the disk I03 is moved forwardly against the tension of the springs lfi'l.

A spring material segmental ignition contact frame I59 has its top fixedly mounted to the upper part of the disk I03 by a copper rivet H6 and has its lower part slanting rearwardly and downwardly as indicated in Figure 6 and is provided at each side with a rod E09 whose contact head is riveted to the frame I539. The rods I093 are slidable in receiving openings in the disk I03 and have circumposed thereon springs I01 which expand between the back of the disk I63 and the front face of the frame E09. The heads of the rods I 09 are arranged to engage the related contacts of the plate 5i.

It will be obvious that when the stub-shaft I00 is rotated it will rotate not only the disk Hi3 and the cam 90 but also the contact ring Hi5 and the contact frame I89 relative .to the stationary contacts which are concentrically grouped around the boss 52. Projecting rear- Wardly from the center of the disk 5&3 is the head of its mounting rivet which is rotatably received in the hole in the front end of the boss 52' which is set in the panel 5i to support the cam rotor.

Means for controllably rotating the cam rotor and selectively contacting different ones of the concentrically grouped stationary contacts comprises the barrel 92 which is mounted in the front part of the bore 99 and contains the helical spring 93. The end of the barrel is provided with a slot I 00' and its forward end with an opening suitable to receive the key 95. A washer 98 having a key receiving slot 95, is arranged to have its front face engaged. as the key 95 is inserted, by the shoulder 97 on the key and to be pushed inwardly or rearwardly against the tension of the spring 93, when the key is pushed part way into the key barrel for the purpose of engaging the portion I and 99' of the key with the central opening IEEI, and with the slot I02 in the forward end of the stubshaft tilt the key will not rotate. But when the key is pushed farther inwardly, the notches 96 of the key will enter the slot E00 in the rear end of the barrel 92, whereat the key will be free to rotate. If the key be rotated while in this position, the cam rotor assembly will be These heads I98 are,

in the cam iiil isholding the Y-shaped latchout of engagement with the head 8| of the push button rod.

Upon proper manipulation of the key 55 so ,a's'to rotate the rotor assembly to the right at least as far as the first step, the engine ignition.

will be on and the cam will have receded from under portion 86 of the latch and have permitted the spring 8'! of the Y-shaped latch to bring the portion 05 of the latch out of a position in engagement with the. periphery of the head 0h It is obvious that in this position of the latch the push button '13 may be pushed inwardly or rearwardly against the tension of its spring El and that as soon as the head 3i moves rearwardly sufilciently the portion of the latch will dropin front of the head 8i and hold the safety push button in the inward position in which its contact ring 81' will be engaged with and bridge the contacts 52 and 53 and thereby close the resistance circuit. The contact ring 8'! is mounted on and is carried by the dielectric disk 12 which slides on the inward end or back end of the rod 80 and is held in the rearward position by the spring 82 which is circum-- posed on the rod 89 between the dielectric disk 12 and the head 8!. Bridging of the contacts 52 and 53 by the safety push button contact ring conditions the introduction into the ignition circuit of the resistance coil 20 during engagement of the oil gauge hand contact I8 with the oil gauge contact I9. Therefore, in order to condition operation of the safety ignition circuit grounding contemplated by the invention, it is necessary that the safety push button 73 be pushed in after the engine has been started, after proper operation of the cam rotor by manipulation of the key. When the safety push button i3 is pushed in with the motor running, it will be held in by the latch for the reasons and by the means described. Should the ignition be turned off by operating the key toward the left, the cam will operate the latch so as to release the safety push button it outwardly and throw the oil pressure controlled ignition circuit grounding arrangement out of circuit.

Mounted on a pivot H4 fixedon the right hand wall of the casing of the switch mechanism and pivoted thereon is the bright-dim switch operating arm H2 which has the handle H3 provided with the hole I I4 receiving the pivot H4. A reduced portion H5 at the rear end of the handle I I3 has circumposed thereon the yoke tensioning spring H9. A further reduced flat portion H6 has mounted thereon the yoke com-- posed of the divergent arms II 1 and. H8 which l20 in the right hand side of the panel 6 that the lights of the vehicle may be changed from bright to dim and vice versa at a touch of a finger providing the switch key 95 has been turned to the bright position on either the running side or the parking side.

In using the device of the invention, the operator places the switch key 95 in the slot 94 and after pressing it inwardly all of the way turns the key either to the left or to the right. If the operator turn the key to the left the only circuits closed as a result are the dim or cowl and the bright tilting light circuits used for parking. If the operator turn the key toward the right instead, the first step closes the ignition circuit and conditions the locking of the safety push button, and the second and third steps maintain the ignition circuit and bring into play also the bright, tilting, and the dim or cowl running light circuits of the vehicle, which bright light circuit may be controlled further by manipulation of the bright-dim switch handle I [3 in a manner already indicated.

As soon as the ignition circuit has been closed by turning the key to the right from the ofi position and the motor has been started, the safety push button 13 is pushed in so as to condition the bringing into the ignition circuit of the grounding resistance coil 20 whenever the hand of the oil gauge should sink under a reduced oil pressure or failure of the lubrication system to the left hand extreme position in which it engages its contact with the contact 19. It is not necessary to push the safety push button 13 in to .operate the vehicle, but it is necessary to push in the safety push button 13 at the time indicated if the automatic control of the ignition circuit by the oil pressure of the lubricating system is to be placed in condition for operation.

Should a failure of the lubricating system occur while the safety push button 13 is in the pushed in position and the motor should stop, the ignition key 95 may be turned oif, whereupon the safety push button 13 will spring outwardly and break the grounded resistance circuit. The ignition key may then be turned to the right and the motor started again, to enable the operator to bring the vehicle to the side of the road or park the same to make repairs or inspection. If upon starting an engine the second time the hand of the oil gauge does not move toward the right, this is an indication of lubricating system failure, and the operator may conduct himself accordingly.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred. embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely'understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in materials and in the structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a device of the character described, an oil pressure responsive member, a contact carried thereby, a stationary contact supported to be engaged by said contact in a position of said responsive member corresponding to a lack of oil pressure, said contact being arranged to be disengaged from said stationary contact in another position of said pressure responsive member when the oil pressure is normal, and first switch means having one side connected with one of said contacts and its opposite side to a portion of said ignition system, a second switch having one side connected to a different portion of said ignition system and its remaining side connected to the battery of the ignition system, whereby upon closing of said switches during a closed condition of said contacts said ignition system will be deenergized, said switches including, a rotary member selectively engageable with said contacts, key means for operating said rotary member, a safety push button operable to bridge some of said contacts while others of said contacts are engaged by said rotary member, cam operated means for locking said safety push button in the engaged position, cam means on said rotary member for operating said cam operated means to release said safety push button from engaged position.

2. A device for rendering a battery equipped automobile engine ignition system inoperative upon a failure of the oil pressure in the engine, said device comprising a member responsive to the oil pressure and having a contact adapted to' be connected to said ignition system, said device further comprising a stationary contact engageable by said contact only when the oil pressure fails, an ignition system grounding resistance connected to said stationary contact and to a part of the ignition system, a safety switch having means to which said resistance is connected, said safety switch being interposed between said ignition system and said resistance, said means being adjustable to condition a connected condition of said resistance with respect to the ignition system, upon engagement of said contact with said stationary contact upon failure of the oil pressure, whereby said resistance is connected to said ignition system so as to render the same inoperative.

3. In combination, a visible safety oil pressure gauge switch, said switch comprising an oil pressure responsive member, a contact carried thereby, a stationary contact supported to be engaged by the first-mentioned contact in a position of said responsive member corresponding to a lack of oil pressure, said first mentioned contact being arranged to be disengaged from said stationary contact in another position of said pressure responsive member when the oil pressure is normal, a grounding resistance coil having one end connected to said stationary contact, a cooperating safety push button switch to one side of which the remaining side of said coil is connected, said safety push button switch having its remaining side arranged for connection to the circuit breaker side of the ignition coil of an ignition system, whereby, with said safety push button switch in closed position, and during a closed condition of said contacts, said ignition system is inoperative.

4. A device for rendering an ignition circuit inoperative upon failure of oil pressure in an internal combustion engine, said ignition circuit involving an ignition coil having a circuit breaker terminal, said device comprising a contact movable responsive to the oil pressure and arranged to occupy a first position while the oil pressure is at normal and a second position while the oil pressure is below normal, a stationary contact with which said responsive contact is engageable only in the second position thereof, a resistance arranged to be interposed between one of said contacts and the circuit breaker terminal of the ignition coil, an ignition switch including a cam, a safety push button switch, cam operated latch means on said safety switch operatively engageable by said cam for locking and releasing said push button switch according to Whether the ignition switch is in an off or an on position,

said push button switch being interposed between said resistance and the ignition switch, said push button switch conditioning flow of current through said resistance only while said push button switch is in an operated locked position.

5. A device for rendering the ignition coil of an ignition system inoperative upon failure of the oil pressure in an internal combustion engine, said ignition system involving a circuit breaker terminal and a battery, said device comprising an ignition switch interposed between one side of the battery and one side of said ignition coil, a second switch operated by the oil pressure and arranged to occupy an open position while the pressure is at normal and a closed position when the oil pressure falls below normal, said second switch being connected between said circuit breaker terminal and another side of said ignition coil, a third and manually operable safety switch, said safety switch being arranged to be operable closed only while said ignition switch is closed, a resistance interposed between said second switch and said safety switch and arranged to incapacitate said ignition coil only while said ignition switch, said safety switch and said second switch are in their closed positions.

6. A device for deenergizing the ignition coil of a battery equipped ignition system of an internal combustion engine upon failure of the oil pressure in said internal combustion engine, said ignition coil involving a circuit breaker terminal, said device comprising an ignition switch interposed between one side of said battery and the remaining terminal of said ignition coil, a second switch operated by the oil pressure and. arranged to occupy an open position while the pressure is at normal and a closed position when the oil pressure falls below normal, said second switch being interposed between said circuit breaker terminal and the remaining side of said battery, a third and manually operable safetyswitch, said safety switch being arranged to be operable closed only while said ignition switch is closed, a resistance interposed between said second switch and said circuit breaker terminal and arranged to deenergize said ignition coil only while said ignition switch, said safety switch and said second switch are in their closed positions, said ignition switch including latch means engageable with said safety switch while said safety switch is closed to hold said safety switch closed while said ignition switch is closed, said latch means being disengaged from said safety switch while said safety switch is open.

7. A device for rendering an ignition circuit inoperative upon failure of oil pressure in an internal combustion engine, said ignition circuit involving an ignition coil having a circuit breaker terminal, said device comprising a grounded contact movable responsive to the oil pressure and arranged to occupy a first position while the oil pressure is at normal and a second position while the oil pressure is nil, a stationary contact with which said responsive contact is engageable only in the second position thereof, a resistance arranged to be interposed between one of said contacts and the circuit breaker terminal of the ignition coil, an ignition switch including a cam, a safety push button switch, cam operated latch means on said safety switch operatively engageable by said cam for locking and releasing said push button switch according to whether the ignition switch is in an off or an on position, said push button switch being interposed between said resistance and said ignition coil, said push button switch conditioning flow of current through said resistance only while said push button switch is in an operated locked position.

8. A device for rendering the ignition coil of an ignition system, inoperative upon failure of the oil pressure in an internal combustion engine, said ignition coil involving a circuit breaker terminal, said device comprising an ignition switch connectible in said system, a second grounding switch operated by the oil pressure and arranged to occupy an open position while the pressure is at normal and a closed position when the oil pressure fails, said second switch being interposed between a grounded circular spring, and a third manually operable safety switch, said safety switch being further connected to said circuit breaker terminal of the ignition coil, said safety switch being arranged to be operable to a closed position only while said ignition switch is in a. closed position, a resistance interposed between said second switch and said safety switch and arranged to incapacitate said ignition coil only while said ignition switch, said safety switch and said second switch are in their closed positions.

CHARLES JELLIK, JR. 

